J. C. Bennett—Breeding Notes



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of the aviary about 4 feet from the ground. Never had they been

seen there before, but now both were quite brazen about it, and con¬

stantly flew in carrying mealworms. I was mystified, but continued

to supply these and fresh ants’ eggs besides fruit, insectivorous food,

and nectar.


This state of things continued for several days, when I began to

smell a bad smell from the nest; the feeding continued, however, until

one morning there was a strange quiet—’the birds were sitting listless

on their old favourite perch. On looking round I found a nestling

dead on the ground, about twelve days old, yellowish white legs,

feet, and beak, blue-grey flights, and whitish below.


The nest was shallow and round, made of tiny pieces of very soft

hay and small feathers. The egg I never saw, so cannot describe.


This happened in late August: very soon the weather became cold

and I brought the birds in, and placed them in an indoor aviary.

They were still in breeding condition, the hen attempting to make

a nest here, there, and everywhere with no results.


In late May this year I again turned them out in the same aviary.

They began well, when one sad day I found the hen dead, so ended

my chance of breeding this very beautiful Tanager.



BREEDING NOTES


By J. C. Bennett


Breeding notes on my birds for this very wet and unsummerlike

summer may be of interest to members. In a small outdoor aviary

a pair of Diamond Doves have done well, having four nests at regular

intervals and hatching and rearing eight young birds. Sharing this

flight was a cock Bibbon Finch and a hen Zebra Finch, which had

paired up together. However, early in the season the Zebra escaped

in spite of a “ safety ” porch. This porch was soundly constructed

with the front and door of \ in. netting. Nobody noticed, until the bird

escaped, that in a fit of absent-mindedness the top had been covered

with 2 in. netting through which the hen Zebra had not the least

difficulty in passing and was quickly lost to view. The Cut-throat did



